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Governor John Rowland

Guest speaker at the Easter service of Calvary Chapel of Southeastern Connecticut

Governor John Rowland's Audio Testimony @ Calvary Chapel

Falling Into Grace

Ryan Griggs on the Easter Service Program

Ryan Griggs, who has been in England working on bringing the Gospel into schools will return to be with us for our Easter service. On his way here on Thursday, he missed his connection in Paris, as there was a airport workers strike going on. Delta Airlines put him up in a hotel for the night and picked him up in the morning (Friday) so hopefully he will be here Friday afternoon. Keep praying! He will be part of the worship team for a song, as well as performing one of his own songs. Be sure to pray for friends, family and workers and bring them to the Easter service to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. The Life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We'll have plenty of free literature for those who are seeking to know Jesus. We again have copies of the "The Case for Easter" for those seeking to understand what the resurrection of Jesus Christ means. Pray and bring a friend!

Easter Comes Early This Year

The next time it will be a day earlier (March 22) will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now).

Easter this year is: Sunday, March 23, 2008, as you may know Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20).
This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar. Found out a couple of things you might be interested in!

Based on the above Easter can actually be one day earlier, March 22nd.; but, that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever or will ever see it a day earlier!
Here are the facts: The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be in the year 2228 (220 years from now).

The last time it was this early was in 1913 (so if you’re 95 or older you are the only ones that were around for that!). The next time it will be a day earlier (March 22) will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was in 1818. So no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

"This World is Not My Home:" Interview With Larry Norman

Check out this 1976 interview with Larry Norman:

http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/larry-norman-interview

Join Us Easter Sunday and Bring a Friend!

Larry Norman: Goodbye - Farewell (talks and sings about his own death)

Listen to Larry Norman talk about his own impending death followed by a pretty cool song about leaving this planet.  The pictures are stills of Larry and some of the artists that are his contemporaries, a lot of the pictured artists have performed at our church.

Tribute for Larry Norman

Here's a few Larry Norman tributes from some friends of ours.

Anthony Chapman (a former Calvary Chapel Uncasville intern, youth pastor.  Anthony wrote a song for Larry.  You can listen to it here. 

Our friend John Thompson (has performed at the church on several occasions and tutored Anthony Chapman in audio editing) wrote reflections you can read here.

Larry Norman Is Home With Jesus

The first meeting we ever had in our main sanctuary was an evening meeting with Larry Norman. People got saved that night. The place wasn't even finished (as you can see from the picture) but the building inspector let us meet that night. 

We've had him at the church several times performing and just attending. We arranged a pretty interesting tour of some of the Universities in New England with him and one of our church house bands that included Jeff Lecee on bass and Damon DeChaplain on drums.  We did an outreach that time at Battell Chapel at Yale and on one of the quads at Brown Universtiy. Beth Wacome (Keck) (another great friend!) opened up for him at Yale and his brother Charlie (who writes below giving info about Larry's death) was there as well that night. We had some trouble at Brown with the administration preaching the Gospel outside, but it all worked out and Larry did great.

Larry is considered the "Father of Christian Rock." Read the wikipedia entry about him here.  We'll have to play some of his music on the radio station this, so listen for that. I'm sure John Fogg will do a tribute to him.  Larry will be missed. He was a real innovator. Today Christian rock is pretty normal to a lot of Christian's, but Larry really was a forerunner in bringing rock to the church.  Listen to a powerful song and Larry reflecting on his own death by watching the video here. (This video features stills of Larry and other Christian artists that were contemporaries with Larry.)

Here's the note about Larry's death from his brother Charlie

Hello everybody.

Our friend and my wonderful brother Larry passed away at 2:45 Sunday morning. Kristin and I were with him, holding his hands and sitting in bed with him when his heart finally slowed to a stop. We spent this past week laughing, singing, and praying with him, and all the while he had us taking notes on new song ideas and instructions on how to continue his ministry and art.

Several of his friends got to come and visit with him in the last couple of weeks and were a great source of help and friendship to Larry. Ray Sievers, Derek Robertson, Mike Makinster, Tim and Christine Gilman, Matt and Becky Simmons, Kerry Hopkins, Allen Fleming and a few more. Thank you guys. Larry appreciated your visits very much. And he greatly appreciated the thoughts, wishes, support and prayers that came from all of you Solid Rock friends on a daily basis. Thank you for being part of his small circle of friends over the years. Yesterday afternoon he knew he was going to go home to God very soon and he dictated the following message to you while his friend Allen Fleming typed these words into Larry's computer:

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry

How Jesus Saved the Marriage of Alan and Denise Jackson

Country singer Alan Jackson’s wife, Denise, says:  “Yes, we have wealth, fame, fortune; from the outside we have it all.  But all that stuff does not bring joy, contentment, happiness or fulfillment.”  You can see their house in the video below called, "You Can Live in a House without Curtains," with lyrics that say, "but you can't hide the heartache inside."

They knew something of heartache.  They were high school sweethearts and married young. Alan became rich and famous and cheated on her.  In 1997 they separated.  But Jesus was going to come into the situation and change everything because Jesus is great at coming into hopeless situations and turning them around. And he did.  The result was a restored marriage, a new life and now a new book by Denise called, "It's All About Him (Jesus!)"

Here's a snippet from and Associated Press article about their marriage:             

"NEW YORK (AP) -- Denise Jackson knew that her marriage to Alan Jackson wasn't perfect. She was too needy and insecure in the relationship, and he was on the road a lot, becoming one of country's biggest superstars. Denise Jackson's marriage to Alan Jackson was crumbling until she turned to God. Still, she wasn't prepared for the shock she got in 1998, shortly after the birth of their third child, when Jackson -- her sweetheart since their teen years -- told her that he didn't want to be in the marriage anymore. Hurt and disillusioned, she tried everything to get him back, and turned to prayer.

A revelation came one day when a friend told her she wouldn't pray for Alan Jackson to come back, but instead, would pray for Denise Jackson to become the woman that God intended her to be. From that day on, Denise Jackson began to reassess the role God played in her life -- and, instead of focusing on how to repair her relationship with her husband, put her efforts into rebuilding her relationship with God. In the end, she says, becoming closer to God helped her become closer to her husband -- and save her marriage."

Read an interview with Denise and Alan Jackson with Alan singing the song he wrote for his wife's book, "It's all about Him!"  Which is really cool, because his wife said it 'used to be all about Alan, and now it's all about Him (Jesus!)"

Here's a video of their home. Enjoy!

The Life of My Friend Rick Hathaway

Rick Hathaway is my friend. He was my pastor and we've worked together on the same church team.

Rick has written a book on the legacy of faith that came from his father. He has put samples of his book on his website www.rickhathawayonline.com  Go and check it out. Once you read the first section you'll be hooked!

For those of you that have attended Calvary Chapel of Southeastern Connecticut, see if you recognize the building in the wedding picture.

Church Volunteer Takes Down Shooter

Jeanne Assam said, "It seemed like it was me, the gunman, and God."  Assam, who has some law enforcement experience and a weapon of her own, had been fasting that day and felt a need to be vigilant about more security at the church that day. She was a volunteer on their security team. 

She a said, "I give the credit to God. And I say that very humbly. God was with me and the whole time I was behind cover -- this has got to be God, because of the firepower that he had vs. what I had.I did not run away and I didn't think for a minute to run away, I just knew that I was given the assignment to end this before it got too much worse. I just prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide me." Watch a video of her telling her story here.

Matthew Murray, the shooter had a high powered rifle, one thousand rounds of ammunition and smoke bombs when he entered New Life Church. Earlier that day he shoot and killed two leaders at Youth with a Mission (YWAM) outside of Denver. Murray, a few years ago had been part of YWAM and had written threatening letters to them.

Here are some articles of interest:

* John Umland, one of the elders at our church muses on security carrying weapons to church here

* For the press report from Youth with a Mission in Denver, as well as pictures of the victims click here

* To read the press release from New Life Church in Colorado Springs click here

* From the Denver Post "Killer Motivated by Revenge"  It is said that he hated Christians.

* Gunman sent hate mail to Youth with a Mission from Rocky Mountain News

* WorldNet Daily advocates shooting back

* Security Guard Prayed for Divine Guidance Before Shooting Gunman

* Matthew Murray posted violent threats towards Christians to a website between the killings at the Youth with a Mission base and New Life Church

* Christianity Today article on security at mega-churches

* AP Article on US churches that provide security armed and unarmed

* Here's Odegard's blogpost, "Defending the Church Against Maniacs, Crooks and Others"

* Church Shooter Made Internet Threats Against Christians

* Why Your Church Needs Armed Security a post from Steve Sjogren

* Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition Cal Thomas column

Christians in the Workplace

As we have been going through Genesis and the 'origin of all things' we encountered the origin of work. Somehow work gets separated from spiritual life. There is a lot of confusion about work and its place in the Bible and the Christian experience. The bottom line is God made us to work and it is good!

Some good friends of mine, Gerry and Barbara Lachance, are making some efforts to bring together spiritual life and work. And they're having some success at it! I've known them for a along time. I 've worked and served with them in a variety of situations. They are good people and they are good at what they do. Here's a little introduction to them where they tell you themselves what they are up to. Check out their website and if you see them around be sure to introduce yourself.

Gerry & Barbara Lachance have a passion to see Transformation in the workplace. This is their mandate from God. So this passion has led them to start a new company called ROi Leadership International New England and ROi Equipping. The company offers solutions that will transform people. They bring solutions through training, consulting, coaching, and strategic alliances Their mission is "Building people in order to build business." The sense is that as people change, learn to understand one another, work with ethical behavior , companies will go from success to significance and this increase ultimately will affect the bottom line..

Barbara and Gerry want to see the mindmolders of society (business, government, church, family, medial, science, and the arts) transformed.

Here's what they say about their work:

Just as ROi Leadership is a company created to influence the corporate world, ROi Equipping is established to influence the Church world. ROi Equipping offers Training Seminars in all the areas of what it means to be a Christian in the Marketplace. Both Barbara and Gerry have spoken nationally and internationally on the subject of Marketplace Ministries.

The obvious meaning of ROi is return on investment but it is also the French word for King. They believe that we are all called (men and women) to be kings in the marketplace where we bring the church on an every day basis.

"And has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen " Rev 1:6 (NKJV)

Scripture starting in the book of Genesis talks about us (the church) taking dominion. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Gen 1:28 (NKJV) Then the Scriptures go on to say, "before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; Gen 2:5 (NKJV)

So what is spoken about in these two Scriptures is that we are to take dominion, and we are to till or work the ground. The interesting thing is that the word for till or work is AVADAH in the Hebrew and it is the same word for worship. So our work was always intended to be worship. When I go to work I am going to my place of worship. So we (the church) are Christians from Sunday to Sunday including the five workdays.

Gerry and Barbara’s goal is to see every person whether they are a housewife to the CEO of a company understand their role of ministry in the place where God has put them. We are all called to be Kings.

Check out thier web presece www.roili-ne.com

Thanks! Veterans Day 2007

Hey Thanks!!!  This weekend is Veteran's Day.  Not only do we get to honor our veterans, but we get a day off!

Church was a lot of fun today, with special guest artists Maeve, who just seem to get better and better.  They sold all of the CDs they brought of their new project, produced by Nico Boesten. They were telling me today that their newest offering to come out in the beginning of 2008 is a Charlie Peacock project, so that should be a LOT of fun.

We talked about work today and towards the end we had all of our veterans stand up. And we had a LOT Of them between the four services! We had people from every branch of the armed forces. The coolest thing was the spontaneous applause, which really couldn't be stopped. It went on and on! It was so encouraging to be able to say thanks and honor those that have served us. So although we already said it once, I'd like to say it again. Thanks!!!  And thanks again!

RACE: The Power of an Illusion

"Race: The Power of an Illusion" was the name of three part series on PBS, produced by California Newsreel in 2003.  The premise, and what they do a decent job proving it, is to show that there is no biological basis for race, but rather race is a social construct. People assume that because there are visible differences between people that there are huge biological differences, thus dividing us into various "races."  It is simply not true. The Bible alludes to this in the Book of Genesis an dis very specific in the book of Acts where they apostle Paul declares - two thousand years before modern biology - "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." Acts 17:26 

The Bible teaches us that all of humanity came from common ancestors, Adam and Eve. Although this concept has been balked at throughout history DNA is beginning to show the common ancestry of all human beings.  1999 news magazines began to publish articles about "Mitochondrial Eve" which represents "that woman whose mitochondrial DNA (with mutations) exists in all the humans now living on Earth."  The implications of both the television research special and contemporary discovers reinforce what we already know form the Bible, that we came from common descendants and all people are created in the image of God.

Human differences come from culture (ethnicity) and not biology. If you needed an organ transplant, it would matter little whether than organ came from someone from Asia, the Middle East, Africa or North America. Human beings are largely the same, except for minor differences in appearance.  Scientists have found that if you take people from anywhere in the world and match them with each other the difference between those two people wold be 0.2%. And the major "visible" differences (skin color, eye shape, hair) amounts to about 6% of the 0.2 percent.  People are people, created in the Image of God!

The concepts of the 'races" as we know it, comes more from the wickedness of the human heart (which always likes to think itself superior to 'somebody' else) and Darwinian evolution and social evolution than from known modern science. Evolution attempted in Darwin's day to show how the far the different "races" were from their original ancestors: apes. This viewpoint has lead to horrible human rights issues and even Hitler attempting to grow a "super-race" purified of all elements he found distasteful.  Moving away form the Bible has its consequences.

God loves all people, although not everybody loves God. This is our mission. To remind people (or tell them for the first time) that they are valuable, made in God's Image and that God loves them and does have a wonderful plan for their life!

The next time you find somebody or a group of people you don't like, remember you are related to them somewhere down the line!  That's probably why Jesus reminded us to love our neighbors as ourselves!

   

Brad Paisley and Sara Evans

Check This Out!  Pretty Powerful!

"It's hard to get into Hollywood and it's even harder to get out"

That's what a friend of mine told me this week.  It is hard to get out of Hollywood and it's hard to get Hollywood out of you, once it's there.  Another friend told me last week, "Nashville has changed  more people than people have changed Nashville."  Those cities have the ability to devour Christians (and families) alive, but Christians should be able to thrive in these environments, especially seeing whereas they played a major role in creating the present expressions of pop culture.

"You let loose, the piano was talking, the drums walking. People were shouting all over the place. And if you didn't understand what it was, you thought you were in a rock and roll concert. That's the way the black Gospel was when I was a boy.

We called the church the sanctified church. He sings, 'I'm so glad Jesus set em free, I'm so glad Jesus set me free, singing Glory, Hallelujah, Jesus set me free!

Then they had that holler (he hollers) You know I loved that Woooo... they were just screaming, I said 'My Lord.' It made my big toe shoot up in my boot!"  That's how Little Richard, born in 1932 and one of the originators of rock and roll described the church services of his youth.

Quincy Jones, who has been nominated for 25 Grammy awards and the producer of Thriller, the best selling album ever had this to say about the origins of rock and roll, "You're talking about music that was bred in Africa to the Black Church and over to Gospel, which turned into blues and jazz and country music. And it cross pollinates and that's the way it ought to be. That's how it started."

The music today we know as rock and roll, rhythm and blues and soul find their origin in the music of the church.  Everybody knows it, even those with no apparent connection to the church or Gospel music. Tom Petty speaking of the roots of rock and roll said, "You know rhythm and blues was a big part of it, but then you start mixing in the country, the good country, really swinging country and Gospel, can't forget Gospel."

So many in popular music started in the church and had the roots of their music based in the church including Whitney Houston, who was raised a Baptist, but had some exposure to the Pentecostal church as well. When she was a young girl she was a soloist in the Jr Gospel Choir at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. Her godmother is Aretha Franklin, another great and influential artist with her roots and beginning in the church.  Although the church birthed the genres and became the platform for so many young and new artists, it seemed like the church was not able to keep them, and for many they were not able to stand the wiles of the world on their own.

Names of great and influential artists that started in the church and had the church as their early influences include James Brown, the godfather of soul and the hardest working man in show business. James Brown started in 1955 with Bobby Byrd's group The Gospel Starlighters.  Dionne Warwick grew up in the church, her father was a promoter of Gospel singing groups. She originally sang Gospel including at an early performance at the Apollo Theater.

Curtis Mayfield, author of "People Get Ready" and later "Superfly" had his start and early influence from the church. He began singing in church when he was 10 and started a band called the Impressions with fellow church members that had a series of hits including the song "Amen" which the Impressions sang at his funeral in January of 2000.

A whole host of early rock artists had their start and influence from the music of the church. Jerry Lee Lewis grew up learning to play the piano with his cousins Mickey Gilley and evangelist Jimmy Swaggert. Jerry Lee attended an Assembly of God school where his mother was sure all he ever would do was sing songs for the Lord.

Elvis Presley, the best selling artist of all time had his start in the Assembly of God church and never forgot his roots, although he struggled immensely between the worlds.

The list goes on and on... we'll cover some more and talk about their lives in future posts.

The big question is why can't the church hold on to her children?  Is it that there is a hostile relationship between the entertainment industries and the church? Is it that there is no agreement, only distance between the church and the entertainment industry? Are all entertainers doomed to living without a church to attend or to be part of?  Let it rip!

the story

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Post # 100 "I Love Tammy Faye Bakker!"

Tammy Faye was a hope broker. She is a hero and a role model for me. I can only dream that I could help as many people as she has with her (to quote the Charlotte Observer obituary) "can-do Christian cheer."

A lot of Christians made her life miserable and left her when she was down. But she seemed to move right past it. It was interesting to me that when she died her family contacted Larry King. He had an awful lot of respect for her and let her talk freely about anything she wanted to talk about.

I have to admit that at one time I almost became a Tammy Faye detractor myself, until it occurred to me that I WAS Tammy Faye. Male perhaps, but Tammy Faye nevertheless. It also occurred to me that it wouldn't be hard to imagine having someone like Tammy Faye as part of your own family. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say most families have someone like Tammy Faye in their extended circle.  Somebody that speaks their mind, but embraces all people. Somebody that is brash but loves everybody and loves them all the same.  Somebody that wears outrageous clothes, hairdos and styles.  Somebody that loves to laugh and  goes to the extremes. Somebody that loves life and lived it!

A few years ago I read an interview with Tammy's son Jamie (who goes by Jay,) who heads up a wild ministry to folks on the extreme edge. Jamie is on the edge himself. At the time his mom was involved in some pretty peculiar work for the former wife of one of television's best known evangelists. She was on the WB reality show "The Surreal Life" with Vanilla Ice and former adult porn star Ron Jeremy.  Her son Jamie - who was embarrassed by his mom - told of trying to convince her that people were watching the show and laughing at her. She told him she didn't care, that she loved these people, that they were her friends, and that Jesus loved them and she wanted to be the one to tell them. Jamie Bakker said after listening to his mom explain it all to him she went from being an embarrassment to him to being his hero. That's when she became a hero to me as well.

Around the same time and after the release of the documentary "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" which chronicled her life, she became a sensation in the gay community. That raised my eyebrows, so I started to read about what her role was there. Turns out they were inviting her to preach! But mostly she just loved on them. She preached at AIDS events and became loved by gay men across the nation. I read one of her sermons to these gatherings and it could have just as easily come across Billy Graham's pulpit. She reinforced how much she loved these guys, how much Jesus loved them, how much God despised sin, and how she was pleased to give a kiss and a motherly pull on the cheek to everyone of them. You go girl! I cried after reading the accounts and asked God to help me love everybody as much as Tammy Faye did. Maybe someday I'll love people with the fervency Tammy Faye had for people. Maybe someday. Maybe.

Tammy Faye grew up in northern Michigan in a family of eight kids in a house without running water. Her and Jim were Assembly of God kids that met in Bible College and wanted to share the message of Jesus far and wide. They started out doing puppets, which they eventually did for a budding television program that would become known as the 700 Club. They started out small and grew huge.

It might be fair to say that success became their downfall, except that they didn't stay down. Both Tammy Faye and Jim bounced back with a love for people and a message of hope for the ordinary person. 

I had the privilege of meeting Jim Bakker a few years ago right after he got out of jail and wrote a book called, "I Was Wrong."  He was broken, sincere, kind, gentle and had all the time in the world for me. I was embarrassed, humiliated and felt a degree of self-scorn for not being a person that had the same outflow of love as he had.  I wish I would have met Tammy Faye. 

Tammy Faye was at one of the local casinos not too long ago making an appearance and signing her book.  She did an interview with a local radio station, they loved it and said she was a blast, and the local newspaper made it sound like a not to be missed event. Lots of hugs, people thanking her, lots of tears, lots of encouragement, lots of talk about Jesus. People loved her and she loved people.

Tammy Faye was a hope broker.  People with broken lives were drawn to her. Gay men listened as she spoke about sin.  Larry King leaned over and listened to her every word over and over. After almost every Tammy Faye interview, he would say, "Amazing!" She was a hero to her son. A broken lady that loved Jesus and moved through every difficulty in her life, while she continued to try and draw people closer to God.

If at the end of your life the Charlotte Observer - which was harsh to the Bakkers at many junctures in their life - says of you that you carried a message of "can-do Christian cheer" than we'll be able to say that was a life well lived.  You go sis!  I love you and am proud to be your brother!!

P.S. I am so glad I didn't do post number 100 on the midnight release of the new Harry Potter book - which I originally planned to do.  This is SO much more important than Harry Potter could ever hope to be!

Cool slide show of her life click here

Watch her on Larry King by clicking here

If I Go to an Defective Church Am I an Defective Christian?

The pope was once a boy. That's his picture.

I actively avoid criticizing other churches, particularly the church I grew up in. The Catholic Church. Besides I have a lot of friends that are in the Catholic Church, why would I want to pick a fight with them? I have other friends that fight the Catholic Church tooth and nail, but what's the point of fighting like that? Doesn't seem like much dialog takes place that way.

Then there is the issue of defending yourself. That usually is counter-productive as well.

Well, this week, the pope felt it necessary for some reason to declare that the "protestant churches" -which comes from the word protest, but that's all for another post- were 'defective' and that other Christian denominations (expressions) were not true churches. He asserted that Christ only established "one" church on  earth. Want to guess which one it is?  Hmmm...  I know he is the pope, but one time he was a boy. I have his picture to prove it.

So, what then is a church, if not a gathering of believers? 

I know that I'm a Christian. A dyed in the wool, baptized born-again.

So, my question is, "Am I a defective Christian because I'm not part of the Catholic Church?" Am I an inferior believer?  How about my friends that gather together? Should we be uptight about this declaration?

You know what?  I know I'm a true believer and I gather with true believers. I'm just not going to worry about it, and at least for now I don't feel much of a need to respond to it, except to yawn a bit.

But here's a little post-yawn commentary... Is the Catholic Church, the "one true church?"  Is the Protestant church, the right one? How about the Orthodox church?  What about the Evangelical Church, the Pentecostal Church, the Fundamental Church. Is he right that there is only one true church? Yes! The church that belongs to Jesus is the one true church. The Bible refers to this sometimes as 'the bride of Christ.'  It is an invisible movement made up of members from the Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Orthodox, Pentecostal and Fundamental churches.

Is every Protestant a true believer? Nope. Is every member of the Pentecostal church a true believer? Nope. Is every member of the Catholic church a true believer?  Nope. You and I talk to people all the time that are members or have family members in the various movements that are definitely not true believers, just members.

Jesus knows who the true believers are. We don't. We'll definitely be in for some surprises in the end when it all becomes clear. I KNOW I belong to Jesus and there is no need to defend Jesus. I'm pretty sure he is OK with me connecting with other people that are known by Him as well.  There is One True Church and it is universal and invisible. There are Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, Evangelicals, Pentecostals and Fundamentalists that make up the ranks. There are also members of those groups that are not part of the One True Church.

I'm not going to sweat it. If all this starts to bother my friends and folks start asking questions, I'll feel the need to clarify the issues. But until then, what's to worry about? I've got the real thing. Jesus Christ. Do You?

Billy Ray Cyrus, Hannah Montana's Dad, Learning from Paris Hilton & Lindsay Lohan

As we sink deeper into the mire of the Christian gossip column... This just in: "Lindsay Lohan Finds God in Rehab, and is going to church." Or so says her dad, who is suing her mother for support after the breakup of their marriage. She says all he wants is his daughter's money. He says he just wants his investment. He has also been seen around the Hamptons showing up for photo-ops.

Lindsay Lohan's friends report that she will not be spending her 21st birthday at Pure in Vegas as originally planned, but will spend more time at the Promiseland Rehab in Malibu.  Are Paris Hilton and Linsey Lohan really finding God?  Maybe. Rehab is a great place to find God, and if you want the 12 Steps to really work, you need to bring God into the equation.

A lot of people don' t know that the original 12 Steps of AA came from the Bible and a Bible believing group, but that's fodder for another post on another day. However it shakes out, it tells us that people deep down inside know that they need God. Maybe when better times roll around they will forget the need they felt inside and feed their hunger another way, but people definitely have a God shaped hole. Pray for these girls. 

Or....  do like Billy Ray Cyrus, who tries to use the antics of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Brittney Spears as lessons for his own Hollywood daughter Hanna Montana.  Billy Ray became a Christian some years back and his kids are trying to serve the Lord as well. Here's some excepts from a recent article in People Magazine:

Billy Ray Cyrus is crossing his fingers that his daughter, "Hannah Montana" star Miley, won't go the way of Lindsay and Paris and Britney. He even shows her articles about the Hollywood troublemakers as cautionary tales.

So far, so good.

"The biggest phenomenon in all this is that the kid's been able to keep her head on her shoulders," the 45-year-old country singer tells People magazine in its new issue. "She hasn't flipped out. I'm going to knock on wood."

He adds: "I pray every day she can stay on that path."

Cyrus, who recently completed a stint on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," co-stars with 14-year-old Miley on the hit Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana," about a country-girl-turned-pop-star who tries to keep her celebrity life a secret from her classmates.

Miley, who saw her "Hannah Montana" soundtrack go double platinum last year, is a daddy's girl at heart.

"We're really close," she says. "I feel like I can tell my dad anything. When we come home, we forget that we even work together and just hang out."

The picture above is of Billy Ray Cyrus with my son Stefan. Stefan is carrying his Tony Alva Skateboad, Billy Ray is carrying his guitar. They both have on "Rock tees." Stefan with Jimi Hendrix and Billy Ray with the Doors. Are those Christian groups?

Has Paris Hilton Found God?

Has this blog become a tabloid gossip column? That's the REAL question!

It's a blog about everyday interactions with God in daily life and popular culture. So, if somebody visible is talking about God it's fair game.

Prior to her sentencing Paris Hilton was spending a lot of time with her mother and seen around Los Angeles with a Bible under her arm. (The included picture is Paris carrying the books in L.A.) She also was carrying the book, "The Power of Now," a New Age tome on mysticism, integration and inter-personal relationships. Some think that carrying the books was just one more show, but hey, the Bible is the Bible. 

The Bible she is carrying looks like a stolen Gideon's Bible from a hotel room, but I'm sure the Gideon's aren't too bothered by stolen Bibles. Maybe they want people to take the Bibles.  Any Gideon's out there know the answer to that?  Maybe she got it from one of the Hilton family hotels which also include a book by Conrad Hilton, "Be My Guest" in each room. In any event, she has a Bible and has been carrying it around! Not to mention that Gideon Bibles include an invitation to receive Christ in them.

On Sunday Paris Hilton told Barbara Walters from jail, "I'm not the same person I was," she said. "I used to act dumb. It was an act. I am 26 years old, and that act is no longer cute. It is not who I am, nor do I want to be that person for the young girls who looked up to me. I know now that I can make a difference, that I have the power to do that. I have been thinking that I want to do different things when I am out of here. I have become much more spiritual. God has given me this new chance." She continued by saying, "God,has released me."

I don't think that we should go around proclaiming Paris Hilton as the next evangelist, especially considering we don't even know what she means when she says "God." Even if she has found God, she has a long path in front of her. She certainly doesn't need to be spokesperson or authority on spiritual life. Whether she has truly turned to God or is in the searching and seeking stage this is a great time to pray for Paris Hilton, because let's be honest when was the last time you prayed for Paris Hilton.

What her interest in God, even if just for the moment, shows us is that people are hungry for reality, for something beyond themselves and that when everything else is taken away, we do know that there is a God.  Under it all everybody knows this.

Pray for her and know that people need God. We can be a lifeline and a connection to God for hungry souls.

Police: "We wish Jesus would solve more of these cases."

Confession is not only good for the soul, it's good for everybody.  After having a conversion to Jesus Christ, Michael Mohr, walked into a New York City Police station to confess that he strangled a homeless lady three years ago. He felt like that's what Jesus wanted him to do. The police chimed in by saying, "We wish Jesus would solve more of these."

Jesus still changes lives and moves us to do the right thing. Great story. 

Click here to read the story in the New York Daily Post.

Confessing Your Sins Online

Who would have thought of it?  Somebody did, the folks at Flamingo Road Church.  We mentioned their website in our study of First John as we looked at what John had to tell us about the value of confessing our sin. We also talked about Donald Miller and his book Blue Like Jazz, where while in college they set up a confessional booth on campus. Not so students could confess their sins, but so the Christians could confess what lousy Christians they had been on campus. Confession is always good. 

Check out the news story CNN did on the church's website. It's a lot of fun. Click here to watch.

And of course don't miss the I've Screwed Up website. Maybe you have something you need to confess!  Click here.

Memorial Day Tribute

Watch this tribute to the American troops. America is a great country, not perfect, but great. I'm so glad that Americans are honoring our troops. I know I put my flag out this morning.

Here's the link to the video. They say a 15 year made this.

Lots of Christians on American Idol

American Idol has had its share of Christian contestants on it. This season is no exception. Kind of a strange name for a show with a bunch of Christians on it, but they are there in abundance, including a worship leader at his local church. Chris Sligh.  Chris is an alumni of Bob Jones University (not your usual bastion of contemporary music) and the worship leader at Seacoast Church in Greenville, South Carolina. He also has his own Christian CD out with his band "Half Past Forever."  Chris sang songs by DC Talk and Mute Math on American Idol.

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Melinda Doolittle attended a Christian College associated with Southern Baptist Convention and has sung backup with several Christian artists, including Anointed, Grammy winner Jonny Lang, Mandisa (who was previously on American Idol,) and CeCe Winans. Melinda has been really vocal about her faith on the program and has mentioned that she has her "Jesus Music" in her iPod. She mentioned Fred Hammond as being one of the inspirations that she is presently listening to.

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17 year old Jordin Sparks is from Calvary Chapel in Glendale, Arizona. She has previously been quite vocal about her faith as well. She told the Gospel Music Association, "I want them (non-believers) to know that God loves them, Jesus died for them, and that God has a plan for their life. I want them to see and hear that being a Christian and singing about it isn't weird!"

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Phil Stacey, before joining the Navy was a worship leader in his church associated with The Church of God.  He attended Lee University a Pentecostal denomination. Phil's father is a minster, as was his grandmother.

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Lakisha Jones this season has also been vocal about her faith. It has been a season with a lot of Christians with vibrant testimonies on the show. We'll see who wins later this week.

Who Would Have Thought Falwell & Larry Flynt Were Friends?

One of the big phrases being thrown around today is "being missional."  What's that mean?  It means that some people believe (rightly so I think) that we need to be engaged in the culture around us and not always on the attack. That We need to befriend people, listen to them, understand them. Who might these folks be?  Cool guys with cool glasses and non-religious speeches? How about Jerry Falwell?  He had a way of being friends with folks that radically disagreed with him. I wish I had known him personally. Someday.  Anyway here's a few quotes from folks that did know him, including Larry Flynt. Jesse Jackson also claimed him as a friend. This is especially interesting considering in the early 60's Falwell was an outspoken segregationist. Wow, can Jesus change people's thinking around? And our friendships!  There is no evidence he ever reconciled with the Tele-tubbies though. Oh well!

"He was a man who set a direction. He was someone who was not afraid to speak his mind. We all have great respect for him ... he is a person who told you what he thought, and you knew where he stood." — Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.

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"Over the years we became friends; sometimes we had polar opposite points of view. ... I have many fond memories of him. He leaves a great legacy of service and a great university behind. He's left his footprints in the sands of time." — The Rev. Jesse Jackson.

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"Jerry Falwell was a close personal friend for many years. We did not always agree on everything, but I knew him to be a man of God. His accomplishments went beyond most clergy of his generation. Some of my grandchildren have attended and currently attend Liberty University. He leaves a gigantic vacuum in the evangelical world." — Evangelist Billy Graham.

"My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. ... I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling." — Hustler magazine founder Larry Flynt.